DWI charged after 5-car pileup

The Journal Gazette

A Fort Wayne man was arrested Thursday morning after he ran a red light while driving while intoxicated, causing a chain-reaction crash involving five vehicles, police said.

Stephen Kearney, 62, was traveling north on Coldwater Road about 7:30 a.m. in a red pickup when he ran a red light, striking a Chrysler headed east on Coliseum Boulevard, according to Fort Wayne police. The Chrysler struck another vehicle that struck a Kia.

Kearney’s truck rolled over and then struck a blue minivan, police said.

The driver of the second vehicle that was hit was taken to a hospital in fair condition. No other injuries were reported.

Four of the five vehicles involved in the crash were towed from the scene, according to police.

Kearney had a blood-alcohol level of 0.15 percent at the time of the crash, police said. He was arrested on two counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. He was also issued a citation for running the light.

Kearney was booked at 10:10 a.m. and was released Thursday night on $750 bail. Traffic at the intersection of Coldwater and Coliseum was backed up for several hours, police said.